Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut controversy flares up again amid viral “Hrithik should apologize” trend

August 2, 2026

Mumbai: The nearly decade-old controversy between Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut has once again flared up. The “The world should apologize to Hrithik Roshan” trend went viral on social media, sparking a fresh exchange of words between the two stars.

The controversy began when author Freddie Birdie shared this post on Instagram. Responding to this, Hrithik said that it’s not right to take a stand for or against someone based solely on social media perceptions. He said that he prefers to wait for facts and the correct context before forming an opinion on any issue.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Freddy Birdy (@freddy_birdy)

Kangana said – Stop adding fuel to the fire

Hours after Hrithik’s response, Kangana responded on her Instagram story. She said she was happy that Hrithik had moved on in his life and was happy with Saba Azad, but he should condemn the trolling and bullying in her name.

Kangana alleged that Hrithik’s statements were rekindling old controversies. She urged him to “stop adding fuel to the fire” and refrain from making “unnecessary comments.”

How ​​did the debate start again?

The recent controversy began with Kangana’s comments on the student movement. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das jokingly remarked that his friends describe him as a young Hrithik Roshan, which is why Kangana is targeting him. This sparked a flood of memes on social media, bringing the old Hrithik-Kangana controversy back into the spotlight.

Controversy began in 2016

The dispute between Hrithik and Kangana surfaced in 2016, when Kangana referred to Hrithik as her “silly ex” in an interview. Hrithik categorically stated that the two were never in a relationship.

Following this, legal notices were exchanged between the two, and numerous email-related allegations and counter-allegations surfaced. The case was investigated first by the Mumbai Police and later by the Mumbai Crime Branch. In 2021, Hrithik recorded his statement before the Crime Branch, while Kangana consistently maintained her claims.

Old feud back in the news

Nearly 10 years later, a viral social media trend and new statements from both actors have brought one of Bollywood’s most talked-about controversies back into the spotlight.